GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[PASabreFan]

Not a good game by any stretch of the imagination, but not a terrible one, either. It's a 2-1 deficit, but the gap between these two teams and how they are playing right now is not large. There were moments tonight that showed Buffalo can win this series if they're more consistent. It's not going to be easy, but it's the playoffs.

 

The series is not over. If they can win game 4, even ugly, the momentum swings back to them coming home for game 5.

You serious?

[PASabreFan]

Please, we will be lucky to see a game 6 let alone Vanek play on Wednesday night. Boston is the better team. They went 4-2 against us in the regular season, the trend is continuing and Rask is playing equal to Miller.

In the third, huge tipping point for the series, Rask made the big saves and Miller did not.

[Corp000085]

You serious?

 

I'm 100% with you on this one.

 

Sabres are being outclassed by Boston in all aspects of the game, even goaltending. There's zero offensive push by the Sabres, and they're getting beaten off the puck in the d-zone. Miller has been making some good saves, but he's not good enough to put the team on his shoulders. I hate to say it, but this series is as good as done if the Sabres can't figure out how to play simple hockey.

[theend]

You serious?

 

I am. I know you don't agree. But what I'm seeing out of Boston is not that impressive. It doesn't mean that the Sabres are playing well...but it doesn't mean Boston is, either. I'm seeing more effort out of the Bruins, but not more skill. If this team can pick up their effort, I still think this series is theirs for the taking.

[Grinder42]

I am all for benching Montador the guy sucks!

[Assquatch]

Impossible to play a puck-possession game when you hold pucks a half-second too long and then try and pass through a maze of sticks. Not to mention their complete inability to win a battle.

[darksabre]

I am all for benching Montador the guy sucks!

 

Yeah cuz that's totally the problem. <_<

[CallawaySabres]

Torres HAS to be benched and Connolly is just totally lost. How many giveaways did he have in the first couple powerplays. Lose the next one and the season is as good as done. At least I see Kennedy and the other guys trying out there. I would have absolutely no problem benching Connolly and putting in someone who fights for the puck.

 

I hate Torres

I hate Torres

I HATE TORRES - He reminds me of Chris Neil with absolutely NOTHING to offer

[Grinder42]

My beef wasn't the interference - it was the fact that Recchi smacked Kennedy in the side of the face with his stick.

 

 

Please, that was a solid play by a vetren..Timmy has to realize he is on th esmallish side and position is better than trying to check a bigger opponent........Seriously...the kid has mad skill for a guy his size but he is not a checking forward. Someone tell me why Ennis is playing with Connolly? I mean seriously.....why not spread the playmakers around!

[RuffMuff]

Miller needs to start to dominate. WGR are just all goofy about not blaming Miller. Every guy on that teams needs blame including Miller. Hes like some sacrid cow - cmon. The buck stops with him.

[eball]

<sigh> Miller didn't lose this game. We need offense. Call it "excuse-making" if you like, but a 1/2-speed Connolly + no Hecht + no Vanek = disaster on the offensive end.

[MichFan]

Three 1-goal games (ignoring empty netter) with our skills players largley MIA and Miller being average in a couple of games ... and people are already throwing in the towel? Obviously it's been a few years since the last playoff series. The team and the fans need to shake off some rust. Cheer up, haven't seen intensity like this in a long time, let's see how they respond Wednesday night.

[theend]

I'm sure this viewpoint isn't going to be popular in the midst of the loss (and the effort):

 

There are so many examples of teams (including Buffalo) coming back to win playoff series after poor efforts and falling behind. They happen every year. After a loss, all the mistakes are on the table, all the emotions of losing are raw and painful. And it feels like it's over, or will be soon. When you lose 2 in a row, especially. But it takes just one game to turn it around. ######, it may only take one period. I'm not blind to the problems right now, but this team won more than they lost this year. And they bounced back from losing streaks, from poor play. I believe they can do it again, and I believe they are a better team than Boston.

[PASabreFan]

Miller needs to start to dominate. WGR are just all goofy about not blaming Miller. Every guy on that teams needs blame including Miller. Hes like some sacrid cow - cmon. The buck stops with him.

 

Wanna make the host defensive? Call and say one bad word about Miller or Ruff.

[SabresRepublic]

I'm sure this viewpoint isn't going to be popular in the midst of the loss (and the effort):

 

There are so many examples of teams (including Buffalo) coming back to win playoff series after poor efforts and falling behind. They happen every year. After a loss, all the mistakes are on the table, all the emotions of losing are raw and painful. And it feels like it's over, or will be soon. When you lose 2 in a row, especially. But it takes just one game to turn it around. ######, it may only take one period. I'm not blind to the problems right now, but this team won more than they lost this year. And they bounced back from losing streaks, from poor play. I believe they can do it again, and I believe they are a better team than Boston.

 

 

GO BUFFALO SABRES!!!

[Grinder42]

Wanna make the host defensive? Call and say one bad word about Miller or Ruff.

 

 

I don't care if Jesus Christ is in the net ( and Miller has been compared to him ) he wouldn't stop the point blank shots were giving up......maybe one goal was soft! Montador and Rivet are horrid and Miller knows it! I say play Sekera lydman myers and Tallinder and forget the other 3 idiots! But in know way can MIller do more!

[CallawaySabres]

I'm sure this viewpoint isn't going to be popular in the midst of the loss (and the effort):

 

There are so many examples of teams (including Buffalo) coming back to win playoff series after poor efforts and falling behind. They happen every year. After a loss, all the mistakes are on the table, all the emotions of losing are raw and painful. And it feels like it's over, or will be soon. When you lose 2 in a row, especially. But it takes just one game to turn it around. ######, it may only take one period. I'm not blind to the problems right now, but this team won more than they lost this year. And they bounced back from losing streaks, from poor play. I believe they can do it again, and I believe they are a better team than Boston.

 

Yes, they are a better team but they did not deserve to win game 2 or 3. Buffalo got EXACTLY what they deserved so you really can't be that upset. This team is good enough to make it to the playoffs every year but with their heart, they will never ever win a Cup.

[Healthy Scratch]

I'm sure this viewpoint isn't going to be popular in the midst of the loss (and the effort):

 

There are so many examples of teams (including Buffalo) coming back to win playoff series after poor efforts and falling behind. They happen every year. After a loss, all the mistakes are on the table, all the emotions of losing are raw and painful. And it feels like it's over, or will be soon. When you lose 2 in a row, especially. But it takes just one game to turn it around. ######, it may only take one period. I'm not blind to the problems right now, but this team won more than they lost this year. And they bounced back from losing streaks, from poor play. I believe they can do it again, and I believe they are a better team than Boston.

 

I agree. If the sabres skate and work for 60 minutes like they did the last 7 minutes of this game, they take game 4 and come back to Buffalo with momentum. The series is not over, but the effort MUST improve.

[frisky]

That was a display of no guts, no glory. Did the Sabres lose almost every board battle? How many give aways did the Sabres have? The Bruins owned all 3 zones. They had more desperation and more hustle. How many times did they dick with the puck with a strong forecheck barreling down on them inside of moving the puck up the ice fast? I couldn't see the whole ice and what all the players were doing but I don't think the forwards helped much on geting open for the break out. Bad first passes out of the zone. Passing up shooting opportunities for a cross ice pass when we've shown that the corners can be picked if you shoot on Rask. Absolutely frustrating but not unexpected. I predicted after Game 2, we will return from Boston down 3-1 and lose the series 4-2. It is also a daunting statistic quoted on TV that 70% of Game 3 winners go on to win the series. Oh, I forgot, Sekera was absolutely brutal.

[shack & duff]

To state the obvious, the next game is the season. I hope they tie it up but if not get ready for the "one game at a time" cliches we've become too used to. Injury excuses from the front office as well when in reality the problem is a lack of skill, size and depth. And a hesitancy to load up with players with any of these three attributes.

[Armydoogie]

That was a display of no guts, no glory. Did the Sabres lose almost every board battle? How many give aways did the Sabres have? The Bruins owned all 3 zones. They had more desperation and more hustle. How many times did they dick with the puck with a strong forecheck barreling down on them inside of moving the puck up the ice fast? I couldn't see the whole ice and what all the players were doing but I don't think the forwards helped much on geting open for the break out. Bad first passes out of the zone. Passing up shooting opportunities for a cross ice pass when we've shown that the corners can be picked if you shoot on Rask. Absolutely frustrating but not unexpected. I predicted after Game 2, we will return from Boston down 3-1 and lose the series 4-2. It is also a daunting statistic quoted on TV that 70% of Game 3 winners go on to win the series. Oh, I forgot, Sekera was absolutely brutal.

 

Dick is OK, but I can't say He11? WTF? :rolleyes:

[PASabreFan]

That was a display of no guts, no glory. Did the Sabres lose almost every board battle? How many give aways did the Sabres have? The Bruins owned all 3 zones. They had more desperation and more hustle. How many times did they dick with the puck with a strong forecheck barreling down on them inside of moving the puck up the ice fast? I couldn't see the whole ice and what all the players were doing but I don't think the forwards helped much on geting open for the break out. Bad first passes out of the zone. Passing up shooting opportunities for a cross ice pass when we've shown that the corners can be picked if you shoot on Rask. Absolutely frustrating but not unexpected. I predicted after Game 2, we will return from Boston down 3-1 and lose the series 4-2. It is also a daunting statistic quoted on TV that 70% of Game 3 winners go on to win the series. Oh, I forgot, Sekera was absolutely brutal.

But you have to strip out the situations where a team has won the first three games. See whowins.com. The situation for Buffalo is not that bleak, but getting there.

[theend]

Yes, they are a better team but they did not deserve to win game 2 or 3. Buffalo got EXACTLY what they deserved so you really can't be that upset. This team is good enough to make it to the playoffs every year but with their heart, they will never ever win a Cup.

 

I agree that they didn't deserve to win these past two games. I'm just commenting on the fact that this series is far from over - I've watched the playoffs for far too long to think that ANY team has a best-of-7-series won when leading 2-1. And the main reason is that Boston isn't doing anything amazing. They are outplaying the Sabres...but not to an insurmountable degree...not even close.

[MichFan]

If anyone should take heat at this stage of the series, it is whoever decided to take the foot off the pedal after building a 2-0 lead on Saturday and try to defend/ride Miller to a win. We used to do this same thing when Hasek was here and it often bit us then, too. If the Sabres play with the intensity, puck movement and offensive zone control that they showed in the 3rd period for 60 minutes I think they can prevail.

[theend]

But you have to strip out the situations where a team has won the first three games. See whowins.com. The situation for Buffalo is not that bleak, but getting there.

 

Yeah...statistics like that are for post-game desk jockeys who need something to blather about. What about that one referenced on this board where whoever scores the first goal of the series is favored to win? Is anyone quoting that one right now?